Samantha watched Benjamin walk away and noted the rise of his behind and the confidence in his gait. She bit her lip, thinking about how gorgeous he was. The smell of his cologne and the faint hint of chocolate that seemed to surround him lingered in her nose. She sighed heavily and turned to the police officer.

“So, you said you were staying at the Fate Valley Hotel last night. Was your room facing the back or the front of the building?”

“The front.”

“Did you witness anything odd last night?”

“I did in fact. I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. When I came back into the bedroom, I noticed lights flickering in the square outside.”

“What time of night was that?” he asked taking the information down on a pad of paper he held in his big meaty hand.

“That was about three in the morning.”

“And can you describe the flickering light.”

“It flashed across the window like maybe it was a flashlight.”

“Anything else you remember?”

“I went to the window and looked outside.”

“What did you see?”

“I didn’t see anything really. I noticed that the square was completely dark, like the lights had all been put out. I noticed taillights driving off.”

“What direction were the taillights going?”

Samantha pointed towards the other side of the square, to the road leading away from downtown.

“Then I saw the strangest thing. Like a shadow passed over the moon.”

“You mean like a cloud?”

“I guess… It just seemed thicker than that. Like it obscured the moon completely.”

“It is winter,” the officer said, clicking his pen closed.

“When the shadow was gone, and the moonlight returned, it seemed like the podium was empty. I can’t say for sure because it was so dark other than the faint moonlight.”

“I’d like you to stick around for the rest of the day in case we have any more questions.”

Samantha frowned. She’d been planning to go the museum today. She milled about the square and asked the other patrons of the hotel if they’d noticed anything. It seemed as if she was the only one who had.

She went to the diner to grab a bite to eat for lunch. She sat down at the table and read the article on the front page of the paper that reported on the festivities from the day before. The news of the missing statue hadn’t hit the paper yet.

Debbie took her order, and Samantha continued to read another article about Ambrose Morgan. It gave more details about his family and his death. She learned that his wife, Mary Ashworth Morgan, had been sick with cancer for quite some time. He died soon after her death in 1940.

By the time her breakfast arrived, she had more questions than answers about Ambrose Morgan. She looked down at her watch and wondered if she could still make it to the museum. After she finished her meal, she walked back into the square and the police officer wanted to ask her more questions.

The police officer’s questions took up a good portion of the afternoon, and by the time he was done, the museum was already closed.

By then it was getting dark, so Samantha returned to her hotel room and sat on her bed, thinking nervously about the date she had with Benjamin tonight. Benjamin was an extremely attractive man, and he seemed really sweet. Debbie at the diner certainly had been protective of him. She growled at herself for overreacting so much yesterday and decided to start getting ready for her date.

She went through all the clothing she’d brought, disappointed with every single item. None of it would work for a date with a hunky man like Benjamin. She looked down at her watch and then did a quick search of the businesses in the town square. There was a dress shop right down the block that was still open for the next thirty-five minutes. She let out a deep sigh and grabbed her purse and jacket.

She hurried out into the cool evening air and made her way to the dress shop. Inside, she was greeted by a cheerful round-faced and curvy clerk who was more than happy to help her.

“What brings you into the shop today?” the clerk asked.

“I need a dress for a date at the Fate Valley Resort tonight.”

“Oh, how romantic,” the woman said. “I think I have just the thing.”

She thumbed through the dresses. Lifting a tan, lace dress from the rack, she held it up for Samantha.

“This will bring out the hazel color of your eyes and will look perfect with your skin tone.”

Samantha held the dress up to her curves and looked in the mirror.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t worn a dress in who knows how long.”

“Well, a date is certainly a good time to start,” the woman said with a smile.

“I guess I’ll go try it on.”

Samantha took the garment into the dressing room and slipped out of her tights and sweater. A moment later, she pulled on the formfitting lace dress. She looked at herself in the mirror, examining how the dress hugged her curves and accentuated them in all of the right places. She put her hand on her hip and let out a deep sigh. She did look really sexy. She could just imagine Ben seeing her in this dress. She emerged from the dressing room and did a little turn for the clerk.

“Oh my God. You look so gorgeous. I knew that dress was perfect for you.”

“It does look awfully good,” Samantha said, tapping her bottom lip with the pad of her index finger.

“Are you gonna take it? I’ll give you a fifteen percent discount just because I love the idea of you going on a date at the Fate Valley Resort in that dress.”

“A fifteen percent discount?” Samantha considered. “Well, now I have to buy it, right?”

“Right?”

“Okay, I’m sold. I’ll take it.”

“Wonderful,” the clerk said, handing her a pair of matching pumps. “But you’ll also need these shoes.”

Samantha slipped them on and turned around in the mirror.

“Of course I do,” she said with a grin.

“Perfect,” the clerk said, clapping happily.

Samantha went back into the dressing room and changed into her regular clothes. A moment later, she laid the dress and shoes on the counter. After a few taps on the register, and a slide of her credit card, she was the proud owner of a brand-new date night dress and a pair of matching pumps. She checked her watch and realize she only had forty-five minutes to get ready. Her heart was pounding so hard that by the time she made it back to her hotel room, she could barely hear.

She quickly did her hair and applied a fresh layer of makeup before slipping into the dress and pumps. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she saw a woman she didn’t recognize looking back at her. The Samantha in the mirror was so damn sexy, she didn’t even know what to think. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d dressed up like this. It was starting to make her nervous to think of Ben seeing her like this. The gleam in his eyes was so ravenous when he looked at her. She had to fan herself with a brochure for the Fate Valley Museum as she paced the room waiting for him to arrive.

At six o’clock on the nose, there was a knock at her door. She dropped the brochure onto the desk and swung the door open to find Ben standing on the other side. He wore a smart dark gray suit and held a bouquet of red roses in a glass vase and a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Her heart jumped into her throat as the fragrance of roses and chocolate hit her nose.

“Come in,” she said, ushering him inside as she accepted his gifts.

She closed the door against the cold air, and they stood in her hotel room, staring at each other for several moments. His eyes sparkled with untold desire, making her heart flutter.

“Thank you for the flowers and chocolates,” she said.

“You look beautiful,” he growled, slipping his finger into the neck of his shirt and loosening his tie.

“Thanks. I just bought the dress today.”

“Good choice.”

“You think so?” she said, looking down at her curves and turning around. “You don’t think it’s too tight?”

“No, not too tight,” he said in a low, gravelly voice.

She giggled and placed the bouquet on the table next to the window. She set the chocolates beside it and grabbed her coat.

“We should be going now,” Ben said. “Our reservation is in ten minutes.”

Samantha pulled on her parka and grabbed her purse as she followed Ben out into the cold February air. Her heart buzzed in her ears, and she glanced over at him as they made their way down the stairs.

She hadn’t come to Fate Valley to find a mate, but with the smell of roses still in her nose and the site of Ben’s profile at her side, she was certainly happy she’d joined Mate.com.